This is a map where I designed the entire terrain with no input from the client. I whipped up this simple map for a client running a Dungeons and Dragons game, wanting something they could write on using an online server for the game. So there’s no text or cities or features, as they only wanted the scope of the terrain. This way they are able to customize it themselves as the game progresses. The texture is simple, with only a very light wave effect around the continent, and very minimal shading.

I’m quite happy with the simplicity of this piece of cartography. I spent a bit of time mapping out the height and continental shelves, though you can’t see that now except for in the shape of the rivers. Much of the underlying planning that goes into designing a map–worldbuilding for a fantasy game or book–is invisible, except for the effect it has on the visible elements. This knowledge of how to build a world is what I feel pushes my work from being amateur to professional.

Creating something like this is fairly fast and cheap. It’s the handling of text and design of custom symbol sets / cities and castles and so on that really chews up time. Here I am working with my free fantasy map resources from DeviantArt, and the actual artwork came together quickly.

You may have run into the set before! Yes, that’s mine, and it includes a lot of the brushes I use on a regular basis. It is very out of date and I admit I have a few more now that I have not released. I am using different textures from many sources and different fonts, of course.

Thanks for reading, and email me if you want to commission your own map! Or have a go at it yourself following my old tutorial!

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